Mental health and wellbeing charity celebrates 40 years of helping young people in Milton Keynes

YiS young people's mental health charity is celebrating 40 years of giving valuable support in Milton Keynes/

Many of the charity's services are free, including the only BACP accredited counselling service in MK.

“We couldn't be more proud of our achievements throughout the decades from providing information and advice to young people and assisting them to find housing and jobs, as well as giving them emotional support to a charity focusing on providing and improving mental health and wellbeing for all young people in Milton Keynes,” said YiS chair Michelle Smyth.

YiS provides coaching, counselling, education and training, and other related services for young people and their supporters who live, learn or work in Milton Keynes and the surrounding area.

One YiS user, who is 14, has described how the charity helped them. “It was good talking to someone who listened to me and didn't know me and didn't judge me... It has helped me be able to talk to my family more about how I am feeling."

The official birthday is Tuesday August 10 and YiS has decided to host its AGM on this same day.

“We are looking forward to celebrating our 40th birthday as this will give us the opportunity to celebrate, remember and give thanks to all those who have supported us, past and present," said YiS CEO Gareth Eglinton-Pacitti.

He added: "It’s been a very difficult year for many young people in Milton Keynes and we are so proud of the incredible volunteers and staff we have working to try and meet this need.

At our AGM, we’ll have a chance to talk about the challenges and successes of the last year as well as talk about some of our plans going forward, which have been designed with local young people to meet the rising need for our services.”

People wishing to attend the AGM can find a link to reserve a place at www.mkyis.org.uk.

Antonietta Moch, director of wellbeing for YiS, said: ​“We are over the moon to have made it this far and there are many people we would like to give thanks to.”

“We would love for people to share a YiS memory with us along with a birthday wish. Perhaps you worked for YiS or were a former trustee, or maybe you received support from our service. Whatever your connection, we would be so grateful to you to share this memory with us and for us to present this at our Annual General Meeting in a short showreel, quotes and images will also be shared across our social media platforms and mailchimp subscribers”.

Anyone with a memory of YiS to send in stories, quotes, video clips images to [email protected] or call Antonietta on 01908 ​892998‬

Meanwhile city MP Ben Everitt is full of praise for YiS.

He said: “On the 40th anniversary of YiS Young People's Mental Health service in Milton Keynes I want to say a huge thank you to everybody involved with the charity which has done so much to support young people across MK.

“Their support over the last year and a half through the pandemic has been more vital than ever and to continue their brilliant work in such difficult circumstances should make everybody in Milton Keynes proud.”

Another local service provider said: “I don't think the work YiS does can be celebrated enough! Against the context of the pandemic and its impact on the lives of MK's young people it seems to me that YiS is an essential service empowering and amplifying the experience of our young people.”

You can also show your support and donate to YiS via their website to help them continue to support young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing in MK.